Fights break out when tempers flare on the football field

Last year, the Texans and the Saints got into multiple fights during the preseason when the two teams practiced together at Methodist Training Center in Houston.

Last year, the Texans and the Saints got into multiple fights during the preseason when the two teams practiced together at Methodist Training Center in Houston.

Photo: Brett Coomer, Chronicle

Photo: Brett Coomer, Chronicle

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Last year, the Texans and the Saints got into multiple fights during the preseason when the two teams practiced together at Methodist Training Center in Houston.

Last year, the Texans and the Saints got into multiple fights during the preseason when the two teams practiced together at Methodist Training Center in Houston.

Photo: Brett Coomer, Chronicle

Fights break out when tempers flare on the football field

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NEW ORLEANS - A lot things can cause players to fight during practice.

The pressure of job security and competitive rage combined with a searing sun and stifling humidity can trigger hot tempers.

When the Texans practice with the New Orleans Saints two times today and once Thursday, tempers are expected to be short as they were the last two training camps when the two Gulf Coast teams came together.

The probability of fighting between the Texans and Saints is remindful of other fights on and off the practice field.

"That was last year, and it's over and done with," Ryans said after practice Tuesday morning. "I'm not thinking about that.

"I don't go in expecting to do that, but no one's going to push us around."

Receiver Jacoby Jones threw a few punches at the Saints last year but plans to sit out any fights this week.

"I'm not fighting this year because that takes too much out of you," Jones said. "If they swing, they can fight all they want, but I'm going to be the peacemaker. If they fight, I'm going to tell the ref, 'Tell them don't hit me. ' "

Some coaches are old school in that they like to see their players go at it during practice. Coach Gary Kubiak doesn't condone fighting.

"If I think a guy's not going to fight for our team, I don't think he's going to be on the team, but you don't need to prove it to me out here," Kubiak said . "It's about composure and doing your job.

"It's not going to help anybody to go out on the field and start fighting. It's just going to get somebody hurt and hurt your team."

But coaches can only do so much. Usually, it's wise to stay away.

Former Dallas Cowboys personnel director Gil Brandt, who works for Sirius/XM Radio and NFL.com, told two interesting stories about his former team in training camp.

"Once, coach (Tom) Landry tried to break up a fight in practice and ended up with 18 stitches in his leg," Brandt said. "He stayed out of it after that."

Perhaps the most famous fight in NFL history between teammates happened at the Cowboys' 1976 training camp at Thousand Oaks, Calif.

"(President and general manager) Tex (Schramm) had enough," Brandt said. "He told me to get rid of Longley immediately, so we traded him to San Diego for a first-round pick we used to help us get (running back) Tony Dorsett in the next draft."

All fights don't turn out so well, of course. Most are brushed off as heated exchanges in the spur of the moment.

The Oilers had a lot of memorable fights. Defensive backs coach Nick Saban got tired of strong safety Keith Bostic falling asleep in meetings. Head coach Jerry Glanville told Saban to get in Bostic's face the next time he fell asleep.

Saban did as Glanville suggested, but Bostic came flying out of his chair and went after Saban, and both crashed to the floor before they were separated.

During training camp at San Antonio, outside linebacker Lamar Lathon and guard Kevin Donnalley fought on the practice field, and their disagreement carried into the weight room. Witnesses said they threw dumb bells at each other before they were pulled apart.

Two future members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame — offensive linemen Mike Munchak and Bruce Matthews - got out of the way of a fight in a position meeting. Tackle Stan Thomas got into it with guard Hicham El-Mashtoub. Thomas head-butted the rookie, who responded with a flurry of punches to Thomas' face.

Jeff Fisher, who was in his first full season as head coach, put Thomas on the non-football injury list, and he never played for the Oilers again.

When Buddy Ryan was the Oilers' defensive coordinator in 1993, he encouraged fighting, even when players were in shorts without pads.

Coaches like to tangle, too

Oilers fights didn't stop and start with players. In 1986, Glanville, the defensive coordinator, got into a fight with linebackers coach John Devlin at halftime. The Oilers rallied to beat Cincinnati in the second half. Head coach Hugh Campbell thanked Glanville and Devlin for helping motivate the players in the second half.

One of the most famous punches in NFL history was shown on national television in the Astrodome. The Oilers were shutting out the Jets during an ESPN prime-time game and, just before halftime, Ryan went after offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride. Ryan didn't connect, but the punch has become part of NFL folklore.